1 dead in traffic accident from wintry weatherLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A 17-year-old boy died Friday in an Arkansas traffic accident related to rain, sleet and snow from an artic high pressure system bringing wintry weather until Saturday afternoon. Rogers police said the boy, whose identity wasn't released, died after the vehicle he was in slid off of an icy road and into Lake Atalanta. Two others in the car escaped and alerted authorities. State safety and transportation authorities didn't re...

German steel company to buy vacant buildingOSCEOLA (AP) — The Osceola City Council agreed on the proposed sale of a vacant building to the German steel company SMS. The council voted Thursday to sell the $12 million factory that was opened by German-based steel company Beckmann Volmer in 2011, The Jonesboro Sun reported. SMS would complement the Big River Steel mill that is expected to open in Osceola within the next few years. SMS expects to supply $600 million of steel mill equipment...

Southern Arkansas University trustees name new presidentMAGNOLIA (AP) — The Southern Arkansas University Board of Trustees has selected SAU's provost and vice president of academic affairs as the university's next president. The board on Thursday named Trey Berry from among three finalists to become SAU's 12th president. Berry will take over on July 1, following the retirement on June 30 of current SAU System President David Rankin.

Justices hear arguments on lethal injection lawLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A case that examines whether a 2013 law gives the state's correction department too much authority in setting lethal-injection protocol is now before the Arkansas Supreme Court. The court on Thursday heard oral arguments from an assistant state attorney general and a lawyer representing nine death-row inmates. Pulaski County Judge Wendell Griffen last year put lethal injections on hold in the state. He said the law stipulati...

House members support abortion medicine restrictionLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to a measure that would ban doctors from remotely distributing abortion pills and advanced another proposal allowing for felony battery charges to be lodged against someone who harms an unborn child. Banning the delivery of abortion pills through telemedicine was the top legislative priority for anti-abortion groups this year, with Republicans in all key state offices. Gov. Asa...

Half-million of Wal-Mart's US workers to get pay raisesBENTONVILLE (AP) — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is hoping its decision to boost workers' paychecks will help it boost its bottom line. The nation's largest private employer announced on Thursday that it's giving a raise to about half-million U.S. workers as part of a $1 billion investment that includes changes that Wal-Mart says are aimed at giving workers more opportunities for advancement and more consistent schedules. The changes come as the compan...

Lawmakers order schools to teach cursive writingLITTLE ROCK (AP) — All that's needed to return cursive writing classes to Arkansas classrooms is a signature by Gov. Asa Hutchinson — and if he signs it, it will probably be in cursive. The state Senate on Thursday gave final legislative approval to a bill requiring public schools to teach cursive to students by the end of the third grade. Several districts dropped handwriting courses after Arkansas adopted tougher standards for mathematics an...

Proposal to divert money to Arkansas highways advancesLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A plan to eventually divert more than a half-billion dollars in tax revenue coming from auto sales and other car-related items to Arkansas' highways advanced to a House vote Thursday, raising objections from Gov. Asa Hutchinson and advocacy groups who say the move would threaten other state needs. The House Public Transportation Committee endorsed the proposal, which would gradually divert the money from the state's general ...

FedEx breaks ground on Little Rock distribution facilityLITTLE ROCK (AP) — FedEx is breaking ground on a 300,000 square-foot ground distribution facility in southwest Little Rock that will employ about 160 people. Arkansas Business reported the center is scheduled to open in 2016. The plant will be able to process 15,000 packages an hour and will join 560 other ground distribution points throughout the country. Arkansas Economic Development Commission spokesman Scott Hardin says the project was aid...

Suspect who confessed to girl's murder has been clearedGOSNELL (AP) — Prosecutors say 18-year-old Christopher Sowell is no longer a suspect in the murder of 11-year-old Jessica Williams. The Jonesboro Sun reported that DNA evidence presented to prosecutors indicates the 18-year-old was not involved in the girl's murder. The murder charge against Sowell was dropped on Feb. 11. Williams was found dead in a waterway near Big Lake in rural Mississippi County in 2013. The newspaper reports that Sowell ...

House supports repeal of fluoridation requirementLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas water providers could opt-out of providing cavity-fighting fluoride under a bill passed by the state House. Members voted 60-34 Thursday and sent to the Senate a bill to roll back a 2011 law requiring municipalities, rural water systems and other providers that serve more than 5,000 residents to put fluoride in the water supply. The state Department of Health and Arkansas Children's Hospital oppose the bill. Opponen...

Senate gives final OK to computer science classesLITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas Senate has given final approval to a bill that would direct all high schools in the state to offer a class in computer science. The bill passed on a 32-0 vote Thursday and gives Gov. Asa Hutchinson another legislative victory. He had promoted high school computer science courses since early in his gubernatorial campaign last year. Hutchinson said he was pleased and that he was hopeful Arkansas would be a nationa...

3 suspects in custody, face moonshine and meth chargesMURFREESBORO (AP) — Authorities say three people who allegedly made moonshine whiskey and methamphetamine are in Pike County jail pending their first court appearance. The Texarkana Gazette reported three suspects were taken into custody on Feb. 11 after a moonshine still was found under their kitchen sink. Chief Deputy Sheriff David Shelby stopped the suspect's vehicle for expired tags when he noticed that the suspects seemed nervous. A searc...

Lawsuit that claimed excessive force by police dismissedLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit that alleging four policemen, including former Little Rock police officer Josh Hastings, used excessive force while conducting an arrest. Cedric McSwain's claimed that Hastings, Sherwood police officer Kevin Webb, and Arkansas State Police Troopers Hunter Glover and Brad Lann beat him when he was walking home from a birthday party. He also said the officers conspired to arrest him even...

Lawyers to judge: Allow Arkansas gay marriages to resumeLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Lawyers for gay couples challenging Arkansas' voter-approved same-sex marriage ban told a federal judge Wednesday she should allow such nuptials to resume in the state. Citing recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions not to delay similar cases from other states, the Arkansas lawyers told Judge Kristine Baker that couples are suffering continuing harm by not being allowed to marry. They said that after a ruling against anti-gay-ma...

House panel supports disbanding lottery commissionLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas lawmakers are ready to scratch the lottery commission from the list of state decision makers. A bill to shift responsibility for Arkansas' struggling lottery from the independent nine-member commission to a governor appointee cleared a committee Wednesday. No member of the House Rules Committee voted against the measure and no one spoke against it. If the bill becomes law, the state Department of Finance and Adminis...

Feds say Wal-Mart was biased against lesbiansBOSTON (AP) — A federal agency says Wal-Mart discriminated against a lesbian employee who sought health coverage for her ailing wife and has ordered "a just resolution" for violating her civil rights. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ordered the retail giant to work with Jacqueline Cote of New Bedford, Massachusetts, who hopes the determination will help her pay off $100,000 in medical bills. In a Jan. 29 EEOC ruling, obtained ...

Hutchinson outlines $33M plan to ease prison overcrowdingLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday proposed tapping more than $33 million in state reserve funds to ease a backlog of state inmates at county jails by opening new prison space, hiring additional parole officers and expanding alternative sentencing programs. The Republican governor said the plan would open 790 new beds, including 288 at a county jail Arkansas would contract with in neighboring Texas, for the more than ...

House endorses African-style hair braiding billLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas House members have supported a bill to exempt African-style hair braiders from the state's cosmetology laws and end a federal court lawsuit against the state. Lawmakers voted 86-3 on Wednesday in support of the change. People who braid and weave hair are currently held to the same standards as those who cut or process it with chemicals. Braiders say required cosmetology courses don't cover their craft and can cost u...

Man charged in Conway officer's death died of pneumoniaCONWAY (AP) — Authorities say pneumonia resulting from mixed drug intoxication killed a man charged in the 2013 traffic death of a Conway police officer. The Log Cabin Democrat reported Barry Strickland's death certificate says he had a mix of morphine, amphetamine, muscle relaxer, and anti-anxiety medications in his system when he was found dead at his parents' house in November. He was out on bond awaiting a December jury trial. Strickland w...